494 THE BEE, OR Feb. 23, 



ence, in the contemplation of the more folld joys of rea- 

 fon : — Secular care and an anxiety for riclies, would in 

 the middle clafs, be lels generally put in competition 

 with an enlightened underltanding ; — while thofe in the 

 lower walks of human life, would be more apt to grafp 

 at every opportunity of inflruclion, which had a ten- 

 dency to elevate their minds, and to enable them tlie 

 better to exercife their own faculties. 



The habits of men, are greatly formed by education 

 and circuraftances. Often thi: 07ie is deficient, and the 

 ether unfavourable towards inental improvement. Of- 

 ten too, the perfons themfelves, are infenfibie of their 

 lofb in both, and thus reil fatisfied. — Ignorance and er- 

 ror in thefe, are more to be lamented than blamed. 

 There are others however, who have been early taught 

 more enlarged ideas and belter fentin-enti, wlu; have 

 alfo met with due encouragement to improve them, but 

 neverthclcfs, difcover an infenfibility to the worth of 

 knowledge and truth, that can only be accounted for,' 

 from an inattention to their importance. Some favour- 

 ite paffion, purfuit, or external circumflance, or all of 

 thefe, engrofs their whole thoughts. Hence arife con- 

 traded fentiments, falfe conclulions, and mil'application 

 of talents. A i-efleclmg mind will not fo allow itfelf 

 to wafte its powers upon inferior confiderations, to the 

 negleft of the nobleft of all purfuits, that of truth. 

 Would men duly contemplate the value of wifdom, 

 they would grafp at the means of it. 



Truth is one unchangeable thing ; but almoft every 

 country has eftabliflied truths of its own, and each 

 looks upon the other as poflefled of error. Nay, there 

 is fomething peculiar that belongs to the mode of think- 

 ing and judging of every individual ; and hence th&fame 

 thing will appear to different men in a different point 

 of View. As foon as mankind come to years of under- 

 flanding, they are initiated into the principles of their 

 parents, or of the country where they chance to live ; 

 and early impreffions are generally permanent and laft- 



